Former New Orleans senator and Louisiana Democratic Party Chairwoman, Karen Carter Peterson, is expected to enter a guilty plea in federal court on allegations she used campaign and party dollars on gambling. Jeff Palermo has the story…:

CUT 02(31)      “…Jeff Palermo.”

Here’s one to hopefully make you smile. Chimps at Keithville’s Chimp Haven sanctuary got to beat the summer heat Wednesday with some icy, refreshing popsicles. Supporter dollars were used to buy the sweet treats for about 300 resident primates, which they clearly enjoyed.

Like the rest of American, Louisiana has a shortage of professional truck drivers, and women are encouraged to take up a career on the road. Louisiana Motor Transport Association executive director Renee Amar says females make up a little over half the U.S. workforce, yet they are under-represented in trucking…:

CUT 09(10)      “…being female truck drivers.”

Amar says driving a truck pays good money, the hours can be pretty flexible and there’s no reason why a woman cannot do it.

New Iberia’s Kayshon Boutte will wear number seven for the LSU Football Tigers. That number is usually given to the most dynamic player on the team. After catching 45 passes in his freshman season, Boutte played in six games last season and caught nine touchdown passes before suffering a season-ending ankle injury. Tiger Rage magazine Editor Tim Buckley says LSU can expect big things…:

CUT 13(10)      “…for them.”

Federal prosecutors accuse former New Orleans state Senator and chairwoman of the Louisiana Democratic Party Karen Carter Peterson of using campaign and party funds for gambling-related expenses. Peterson is expected to enter a guilty plea to the fraud charges. The longtime lawmaker has admitted to having a gambling problem and legal analyst Tim Meche says a federal judge will determine if Peterson’s criminal act is a character flaw or because of her gambling addiction…
cut 8 (12) “…..incarceration”
Carter faces up to 20 years in prison.

20-year-old LSU wide receiver Kayshon Boutte has been awarded the number seven jersey. The number goes to the Tigers most dynamic player each season. Tiger Rag Editor Tim Buckley says LSU is expecting a big year from the potential Top ten pick in next year’s draft…
cut 13 (10) “…for them’

With inflation reaching a 40-year high, is an economic breaking point coming for families? A top Louisiana economist says “yes.” Kevin Gallagher reports…:
Cut 1 (28) “…I’m Kevin Gallagher.”

The Louisiana Motor Transport Association is encouraging females to look at a career in the trucking industry. L-M-T-A executive director Renee Amar says women have the skills to be a truck driver…
cut 10 (11) “…detail oriented”
Go to L-M-T-A-dot-l-a for more information.

Former state Senator and state Democrat party chair Karen Carter Peterson is charged with wire fraud. The U.S. Attorney’s office says she allegedly used money from her campaign fund and from the party for personal uses; including gambling. Peterson, of New Orleans, resigned her senate seat in April and said she needs to focus on her recovery from a gambling addiction. The fraud charges carry a sentence of up to 20 years, but legal analyst Tim Meche says in recent years judges have taken into account that a gambling addiction is a disease…:

CUT 07(10)      “…those situations.”

Peterson is expected to plead guilty, due to her illness.

Here’s one to hopefully make you smile. Chimps at Keithville’s Chimp Haven sanctuary got to beat the summer heat Wednesday with some icy, refreshing popsicles. Supporter dollars were used to buy the sweet treats for about 300 resident primates, which they clearly enjoyed.

Like the rest of American, Louisiana has a shortage of professional truck drivers, and women are encouraged to take up a career on the road. Louisiana Motor Transport Association executive director Renee Amar says females make up a little over half the U.S. workforce, yet they are under-represented in trucking…:

CUT 09(10)      being female drivers

Amar says, of course, men are most welcome to get the training and become truckers. But she’d also like to see a statewide and even national campaign encouraging women to sign up as well.

As inflation hits a 40-year high, a top Louisiana economist says a breaking point is coming. Dr. Jim Richardson of LSU says wages aren’t rising to match prices, and that’ll force people to curtail their spending in time. He feels that will affect demand and force consumer prices down…:

CUT 05(08)      buy less, right there.

As for when this could happen, he say it’s anyone’s guess.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged former state senator and chairwoman of the Louisiana Democratic Party, Karen Carter Peterson, with wire fraud. Peterson allegedly used tens of thousands of dollars in campaign and party funds for personal use, including gambling-related expenses. Peterson is expected to enter a guilty plea and legal analyst Tim Meche says that’s really her only option…:

CUT 06(07)      “…personal like that.”

The often fiery and outspoken Peterson’s lawyer says she is being treated for gambling addiction.

Opelousas Police say a local arborist died Wednesday, when he fell during a job. 50-year-old Kevin Thomas sustained serious injuries and died later at a local hospital.

A man was last night on I-12 in Baton Rouge, when a pickup slammed into his disabled vehicle. The car was on the left shoulder; not in the traffic lane. The crash is under investigation.

Inflation has surged again, with June figures showing a 9-percent increase over this time last year; reflecting a 40-year high. As prices rise higher, are we nearing some kind of breaking point? A top Louisiana economist says “yes.” LSU Professor Jim Richardson says prices are rising faster than wages, and that can’t sustain. Should such an economic breaking point occur, Richardson says it probably will be felt worst by lower income earners…:

CUT 04(15)      “…for that to happen.”

He says as more people are forced to cut spending, decreased demand will cause inflation to eventually retreat.

…here’s Neil Melancon with today’s markets…

Inflation has surged again, with June figures showing a 9-percent increase over this time last year. As prices rise higher, are we nearing a breaking point? A top Louisiana economist says “yes.” On WWL Radio, LSU Professor Jim Richardson says he cannot say when, but something will have to give eventually…:

CUT 03(07)      “…will not be forever.”

Poultry is up 25-percent. Milk up 17-percent. Paper products up 30-percent or more. The Federal Reserve uis expected to hike interest rates by 1-percent; hoping to avoid sharp market declines.

Thousands were left without power in northwestern Louisiana last night, after strong storms came through. SWEPCO reports over 16-thousand outages. By earlier this morning they had power back for about 7000, and say crews are working quickly to restore power for everyone else.

Many Louisianans are mourning the death of former state lawmaker and former Natural Resources Secretary Ron Gomez, who passed away this week. Gomez served in the state legislature from 1980 through 1989, and headed up DNR under Governor Buddy Roemer. New Orleans political analyst Ron Faucheux (pronounce: FO-shay) served with Gomez at the State Capitol. He says Gomez also steered legislation that led to the building of the Cajundome on the UL-Lafayette campus…:

CUT 07(09)      “…legislative career.”

Ron Gomez was 87 years old. Funeral arrangements are pending.

The number of people in the hospital with COVID statewide increased by 139 over the last week to 678. LDH reports 35-hundred more new cases yesterday and State Health Officer Doctor Joe Kanter says getting shots and boosters is still one of the best ways to prevent getting seriously sick…:

CUT 11(12)      “…so choose.”

According to the Louisiana Department of Health, the number of patients in the hospital with COVID has increased by 139 over the last week to 678. L-D-H reported 35-hundred more new cases yesterday and State Health Officer Doctor Joe Kanter says there are many more unreported because of positive cases confirmed through at-home tests
Cut 9 (08) “…being spread right now”

We are less than 13 months away from qualifying for Louisiana’s 2023 governor’s race. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says there are a number of Republican candidates looking to run …
cut 13 (11) “….Lt. Governor”
On the Democratic side New Orleans City Councilwoman Helena Moreno is being encouraged to run.

Inflation has surged to a 40-year high of 9.1-percent over this time last year, and U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy lays the blame squarely on President Biden and Democrats in Congress. He says the run-up on prices began with the president signing executive orders to greatly slow domestic energy production; forcing energy prices up sharply…:
Cut 3 (09) “…across our country.”
But President Biden says the latest report on inflation is from last month and this month, gas prices are dropping and so are the prices for other commodities, like wheat.

The Acadiana region is mourning the death of former state lawmaker and former Natural Resources Secretary Ron Gomez passed away in Lafayette. Gomez served in the state legislature from 1980 through 1989, and headed up DNR under Governor Buddy Roemer. New Orleans political analyst Ron Faucheux (pronounce: FO-shay) served with Gomez at the State Capitol. He says Gomez was an excellent legislator…:
Cut 6 (11) “…a lot of admiration.”

NOLA-dot-com reports the Former state senator and chairwoman of the Louisiana Democratic Party Karen Carter Peterson will plead guilty to federal charges associated to gambling with campaign funds and money that belonged to the Louisiana Democratic Party. Peterson resigned from the Senate in April to focus on her recovery from gambling addiction.

Former Louisiana broadcaster, journalist and state lawmaker Ron Gomez has passed away. Kevin Gallagher has more on that…:
Cut 2 (34) “….I’m Kevin Gallagher.”

Inflation has taken its toll on most Louisianans and the federal government says the consumer price index for June was nine-percent higher than last year. Senator Bill Cassidy says the White House and Democrats are working to pass a two-trillion dollar spending bill in an effort to combat inflation…
cut 5 (09) “….economic policies”
Cassidy says allowing domestic energy to ramp-up again would help to alleviate the rising cost of motor fuels, and eventually everything else.

Qualifying for the fall U.S. House & Senate mid-term elections is next week at the Secretary of State’s office in Baton Rouge, and U.S. Senator John Kennedy will surely be in that number. But will he be back next year to qualify to run for Governor? That’s the question posed to political analyst Bernie Pinsonat, who says do not expect Kennedy to offer any clues, one way or the other…:
Cut 12 (06) “…the Governor’s race.”
Pinsonat says he expects an announcement from Kennedy later this year on whether he’ll run for governor.

The consumer price index for June is up nine-percent over last year as U-S inflation continues to run at a four-decade high. Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy says the White House and Democrats in Congress are drafting a trillion-dollar spending plan to combat inflation…
cut 4 (13) “….could do both”
President Biden says there are signs inflation has reached its peak as he points to the falling price of gasoline and other commodities like wheat.

Former state lawmaker, D-N-R Secretary, broadcaster and civic leader Ron Gomez has passed away at the age of 87. Gomez was well known in Lafayette and inducted into the Louisiana Political Hall of Fame in 2019. Political Analyst Ron Faucheux served with Gomez in the Louisiana House in the 1980s and recalls Gomez’s people skills…
cut 8 (08) “….public issues”
Funeral arrangements are pending.

We are less than 13 months away from qualifying for Louisiana’s 2023 governor’s race. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says there are a number of Republican candidates looking to run …
cut 13 (11) “….Lt. Governor”
State Treasurer John Schroder is another GOP candidate and the latest name on the Democratic side that could run is New Orleans City Councilwoman Helena Moreno.

The Louisiana Department of Health reported 35-hundred new COVID cases yesterday and hospitalizations are up 139 from last week to 678. State Health Officer Doctor Joe Kanter says this is Louisiana’s sixth COVID surge as the BA.4 and BA.5 variants are now the dominant strains. He says, on average, symptoms from these variants are mild but that’s not absolute for people who are considered higher risk…
Cut 10 (12) “…extra precautions.”